Family Time Syracuse NY

With the prospect of unemployment and falling home values on many parents' minds, sending teens on a ski trip with friends, or funding mall excursions and meals out, are just not in the budget anymore.

Synopsis: It all begins with the paranoid delusions of a half-insane hero called Rorschach. But is Rorschach really insane, or has he in fact uncovered a plot to murder superheroes and, even worse, millions of innocent civilians? On the run from the law, Rorschach reunites with his former teammates in a desperate attempt to save the world and their lives, but what they uncover will shock them to their core and change the face of the planet. The movie is based on the 12-part DC Comics series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons.

Violence/scary rating: 4.5

Sexual-content rating: 4.5

Profanity rating: 4

Drugs/alcohol rating: 3

Family Time rating: 4.5. Heed the rating, parents -- this is definitely an R movie; don’t let the superheroes fool you.

(Ratings are judged on a five-point scale, with 5 being “bad for kids” and 1 being “fine for kids.”)

Tip of the Week

With the prospect of unemployment and falling home values on many parents' minds, sending teens on a ski trip with friends, or funding mall excursions and meals out, are just not in the budget anymore. Parents may find it's a better investment -- both for their homes and for their teens' development -- to create a haven at home where teenagers can socialize for free. Turning your basement, game room or family room into a teen haven doesn't have to cost a bundle. Here are some ideas:

- Video games are a big part of social life for many teens, but don't overlook the value of board games and table games as well. Besides the Wii and PlayStation, stock your teen haven with teen-friendly board games. Consider adding a table hockey or foosball game if space and budget allow.

- Teen boys are notoriously big eaters, so be sure to have plenty of teen-friendly (and hopefully healthful) snacks on hand if you're hosting your son's friends. You could even add a small refrigerator to the room.

- Be sure to provide plenty of comfortable seating where teens can lounge with their friends while they chat, watch TV or surf the Internet. Consider setting the mood for the room by adding punch with teen-friendly decor like a wallpaper mural of your child's favorite sport.

The day D Foster enters Neeka and her best friend’s lives, the world opens up for them. D comes from a world vastly different from their safe Queens neighborhood, and through her, the girls see another side of life that includes loss, foster families and an amount of freedom that makes the girls envious. Although all of them are crazy about Tupac Shakur’s rap music, D is the one who truly understands the place where he’s coming from, and through knowing D, Tupac’s lyrics become more personal for all of them. The girls are thirteen when D’s mom swoops in to reclaim D — and as magically as she appeared, she now disappears from their lives. Tupac is gone, too, after he’s shot. As the narrator looks back, she sees lives suspended in time, and realizes that even all-too-brief connections can touch deeply.

Did You Know

According to a recent study in England, 8 out of 10 women are concerned about the impact of the economic downturn on family life. More than a third of women reported that the downturn had already reduced their quality of life. (www.oneplusone.org.uk)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Unroll dough, separating along perforations into 12 breadsticks. Brush both sides of breads ticks with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with sugar mixture. Twist each breadstick about three times, and place on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Makes 1 dozen. (CDKitchen)

A move is always a major event for a family. Besides the long preparations and arrangements you need to go through, plus the travel, moving can also put a strain on family relations if not handled properly.